Intelligence and National Security OpenCourseWare: MIT's Free Bachelor Level Social Science Class on National Security Policy

Available through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's OpenCourseWare program, 'Intelligence and National Security' examines the origins and functions of the major intelligence agencies in the U.S. This free online course may be particularly useful for undergraduate students pursuing an education in Political Science.

Intelligence and National Security: Course Description

This course, from MIT's Political Science department, takes an in-depth look at the U.S Intelligence Community, studying its history, formation and current functions. Students examine the roles and responsibilities of agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency. Important missions conducted by these agencies are also reviewed, including counterterrorism and counterinsurgency objectives. Additionally, students explore the Intelligence Community's influence on national security policy, focusing on the issue of politicization. The course covers key controversies surrounding intelligence, including congressional oversight, accountability and the call for reform. At the end of the course, students assess the future of national intelligence. Professor Robert Vickers taught this lecture course on the MIT campus.